Sunday, 31 October 2010

Whilst preparing the products i use for my skincare routine post which will go live within the next few weeks i realised i have never spoken about one of my all time favourite products.

Like i said recently i am a huge exfoliating junkie, i have dry skin so it is a staple in my skincare routine. I love many different scrubs such as Clean&Clear Warming Scrub which i have raved about in the past however what with Clean&Clear re packaging their products it has become impossible to find the warming scrub so i tend not to use it as much as i don't want my current tube to run out.

I came across this beaut at the NYC Make-up show which i was lucky enough to attend back in May.

Mario Badescu Strawberry Face Scrub.

I had heard of Mario Badescu prior to the NYC Make-up show mainly for its famous product, the drying lotion for blemishes so when myself and Milly spotted they had a stand at the show we were straight over their like a light. They were offering a really great discount but what with it being a few months ago now i have totally forgotten what the % was but it did mean most of the products were extremely cheap.

Myself and Milly were really interested in the products and ended up talking to the assistant for quite some time, so she ended up showing us a lot of products which we had never heard of before from the range. The assistance showed us the Strawberry Face Scrub so i took a nice whiff of the product like we all do and instantly knew it had to be mine. Since that day it has become a staple in my skincare routine.

I don't know if it is just me but products which smell amazing i am instantly drawn to and instantly want to try. This has to be one of the most amazing scented products of which i own. I love anything that smells of Cherry's and almond..a bit like a bakewell tart for those of you in the UK! Well that is exactly how this smells..like a bakewell tart. I also love the Jergens Oringinal body lotion which i have spoken about before because it smells like a bakewell tart so my collection of cherry&almond products is slowly developing :) The scent is a huge bonus but the product itself is amazing.

The scrub is suitable for all skin types as Mario Badescu say exfoliating on a regular basis helps to prevent dulling build up and congested pores. This is a completely non abrasive face scrub so isn't harsh on the skin at all. It contains real strawberry seeds which gently buff away flaky skin.

The product itself is extremely creamy so is really moisturising for your skin. It feels as though you are gently massaging in a face mask but with strawberry seeds. Its the only exfoliator to leave my skin feeling as though i have had a facial. For me this is a relaxation scrub, it slightly awakens you, leaves your skin with such a nice glow but definitely makes you feel super relaxed as its such a creamy light scrub. It says you can use it 2-3 times a week but without fail i will use this once a week. I was using it a lot more but was slightly scared to use it as i couldn't find anywhere online which stocked it and was able to ship to the UK. I have however found a website which i will link at the end so have started using it a lot more.

You get 118ml of product and it is not tested on animals!

If you don't like harsh, abrasive scrubs then this one is for you. Its a product i will always use and so happy that i was introduced to.

Saturday, 30 October 2010

Well well well another teeth whitening product...you all know i am addicted though :)

I picked this up when i was in NYC earlier this year then stocked up when i returned to Las Vegas in the summer and yep yet again I'm sorry UK girls we don't have the luxury of being able to get Crest whitening products in the UK! They are however plastered all over Amazon here!

Crest 3D Whitening Rinse

This whitening rinse has the same ingredients as the Crest Whitening Strips. It is said to freshen breath and whiten teeth. I love this product as a 'top up' of whitening! We all know i love any teeth whitening products so admittedly i do have pretty white teeth so this just keeps my teeth a nice fresh white in between using either Crest Whitening Strips or Polanight Teeth Whitening System. I wouldn't say you would notice a huge difference if it was your first time at teeth whitening. Initially you would but its nothing that is going to be permanent. This is definitely a top up product. If your thinking of buying Crest Whitening Strips definitely add this to your basket as well. Its quite, easy and a great price!

Amie’s gentle yet effective formulas are said to be your skin’s best friend. Bursting with natural plant extracts that work in complete harmony with your skin, they are ideal for all skin types, especially sensitive, oily and blemish-prone, and will help your skin look and feel absolutely gorgeous !

Amie is aimed at young skin so what with me being 21 i hoped i was still classed in the young skin category.

I was offered to chance to try the Amie Skincare range so today i am going to share my thoughts with you!

The main focus of the Amie Skincare is that it doesn't contain any harsh chemicals and that they have a strict ingredients policy....

NO Parabens

NO Mineral Oils

NO Petrochemicals

NO sodium laureth sulphate or sodium lauryl sulphate

NO ingredients of Genetically Modified Origin

NO Animal testing

NO Animal ingredients

All products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans

What Amie Say:

Every Amie product is bursting with an average 95% natural fruit and botanical ingredients, each one hand-picked to work in complete harmony with your skin and to bring out its natural radiance, so our cleansers deep-clean without stripping and our moisturisers hydrate without clogging pores with oil. Natural anti-bacterials help keep skin clear and free from blemishes. The result is beautifully clean, soft, smooth and confident skin....

BRIGHT EYES Very Gentle Eye Make-up Remover- This is a water-like texture which i have to say i much prefer with eye make-up removers as i have really sensitive eyes, oil based removers can really irritate my eyes so i was pretty pleased that this says it is made for easy make-up removal without tears. Well there certainly was tears, although it is water-like it just have a strong scent that really did sting my eyes. It did however remove all traces of make-up instantly. It really seemed to soak in well so all make-up could be removed quickly and easily. This is the perfect eye make-up remover if you DO NOT have sensitive eyes..i really wish this worked for me. The eye make-up remover contains meadow cornflower,chamomile, and cucumber. Oil Free.

MORNING CLEAR Purifying Facial Wash- This is a really creamy, deliciously smelling, refreshing face wash. Such a pleasure to use. Not too harsh on the skin so its left feeling tight, in fact its the total opposite your skin is left feeling clean,refreshed and plumped. You can use this morning and night so your skin is de congested leaving it spot free. The facial wash contains orange blossom,elderflower,may blossom and raspberry. Soap Free.

PETAL PERFECT 2 in 1 Cleanser&Toner- This has a milk-like texture so is very light and runny which means it wont clog your pores. You just apply this with a cotton pad and smooth across your face paying particular attention to the areas where dirt and oil collect. Again it smells amazing and is totally refreshing on the skin. Left my skin totally clear of any dirt or oil after two cotton pads. This is 2 in 1 so its toning your skin at the same time. If your skin doesn't like a toner then do be careful as this could tighten your skin like most toners do but like i said it is 2 in 1 so it could be perfect for your skin if you want to include a toner in your routine as its not as full on and harsh as a normal toner. This cleaners and toner contains french rose petal,orange blossom,witch hazel,raspberry and apple. Alcohol Free. Oil Free.

NEW LEAF Skin Exfoliating Polish- One of my favourite products from the range. I am a massive exfoliating fan, i have dry skin so this helps to remove any dead skin cells with the tiny jojoba beads. No-one likes harsh scrubs which feel like they are scrubbing your skin away so this is just perfect. It smells amazing with a strong scent of orange so this is great for in the morning to really wake you up. It doesn't leave your skin feeling tight. It contains mango seed butter which really moisturises your skin. Its perfect it exfoliates and moisturises all at the same time :) This exfoliating polish contains mango seed butter,orange blossom and bamboo beads. pH Balanced. Soap Free.

MORNING DEW Matte Finish Moisturiser- For the softest, dewiest shine free skin! This is the much hyped matte finish moisturiser. This is an exceptionally light oil free daily moisturiser. Great for those of you who suffer with shiny skin throughout the day. Apply this in the morning to keep your shiny skin at bay. Like i mentioned before i have dry skin but throughout the day my t-zone becomes ever so slightly shiny..well it doesn't now if i apply this moisturiser in the morning. It smells divine, really summery and floral. It is so lightweight it lets your skin breath so its a pleasure to wear..you will never want to remove it. Your make-up still looks dewy so this is definitely a must have. This moisturiser contains organic rose hip,bilberry and vitamin E. Mineral Oil Free. pH Balanced.

SPRING CLEAN Cooling Clay Mask- This is most definitely my favourite product from the range and one i will keep re-purchasing. I am a sucker for exfoliaters,masks,treatments you name it i love it, i like to treat my skin a lot..it deserves it! Two things that stand out the most for me with the product is the scent, its actually amazing..its a mix of mint and lemon and lime, totally delicious. Also that it is a cooling clay mask. Its a real rich deep treatment that draws impurities and cools the skin at the same time leaving the skin really clear and fresh. This is great to use in the morning as you feel really ready for your day but also brilliant to wind down with in the evening. You leave it on for 10 minutes and then splash off with warm water and pat your face dry. Honestly this product will not disappoint. Its one my skin really loves. This mask contains organic peppermint,french white clay and lime butter. Over 94% Natural Ingredients.

So there you have it, my thoughts and top picks of the Amie Skincare Range.

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

I have been signed off work for a little while as i have come down with Labyrinthitis/Vertigo which is really rather annoying but it meant today i got some time to make my first batch of cupcakes ♥

I have been totally inspired by the gorgeous Milly for a long time now as Milly truly is the cupcake queen! I am sure most of you have seen some of Milly's amazing creations. So today i followed Milly's step by step guide of making the perfect cupcakes. Which You can find Here!

This is the end result ♥

I am pretty pleased with how they turned out considering it was my first attempt. The famous icing could be a little better but hopefully next time i will have upped my game a little bit :)

Also i did use pastel colour cake cups but they seem to have lost their colour once they had been in the oven.

Eyeko were lovely enough to drop a little package through my door the other morning containing one of the new fat balms and 2 of the London Lips lip glosses, the other lip gloss i got in my goodie bag from the recent Eyeko event so i thought i would share some swatches with you today!

I already use and love the Eyeko Fat Balm in Mint so i was so excited to try one of the newest editions to the Fat Balm family..Frosting! The great thing about the Eyeko Fat Balms is they now contain SPF15. This is such a gorgeous colour which you can use on your lips or cheeks.

What Eyeko Say ♥

Slicks of juicy colour, infused with light reflecting particles, moisturising Jojoba oil and added SPF15 make for fuller, softer, sexier lips. Add a hint of colour and shine as you protect and hydrate your kisser! Dab on to cheeks to for a touch of blush. Mineral oil and lanolin FREE!

The yummiest thing about this Fat Balm is it smells and tastes hehe like cupcakes!! Yep that's right!

It is LIMITED EDITION though so snap this one up quickly.

What Eyeko Say About London Lips:

Make way for Eyeko London Lips Lip Gloss poured into pretty tubes stamped with iconic London images. Long-lasting colour and non-stick shine make for smooth application in a choice of 3 sheer and 3 cream blends. Eyeko London Lips are sweetly scented with a fruity fragrance and available in six lust-worthy shades.

I haven't actually done a giveaway since my 800 followers giveaway so i thought it was about time i did a mini giveaway! This is only a mini giveaway as about 2 months ago i was lucky enough to reach 1000 followers..i am now near to 1300!! So crazy and i am so thank you to every single one of my followers. I am still planning my 1000 followers giveaway and getting prizes organised so i thought i would just do a mini giveaway for the time being :)

So up for grabs is....

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion(not available in the Uk, bought from Walgreens in Las Vegas)

L'oreal 24-Hour Lash Boosting Power System

♥

Rules:

You must be a follower of my blog :)

Just type "enter me" into the comments box

Just ONE comment per person please!

Please leave your email address with your comment so i am able to contact the winner

If you are under 18 please gain permission from your parents as i will need your address to post the prize

Winner will be chosen via random.org

Giveaway open internationally!

This giveaway will be open until the 2nd of November 1 week from today.

Saturday, 23 October 2010

Cute and girly or dark and grungy..whatever your style, Sleek Make-Up's new i-Divine Good Girl and Bad Girl will make sure you look hot this season!

They sound amazing right?! I was lucky enough to receive these as a surprise package this morning so you lovely people get to see some swatches of the new i-Divine's :)

Good Girl

Sleek MakeUp's new limited edition Good Girl i-Divine mineral eye shadow palette is said to be the prettiest of all i-Divines to date. Brightly packaged, Good Girl is a pletora of ditsy pinks and pale peaches that Sleek say will give you hours of make-up play time! The 12 highly pigmented colours are designed to give a pop of colour to all skin tones. Remember that is what Sleek Make-Up are known for, catering to all skin tones!

Sleek Make-Up Say:

The Good Girl i-Divine is truly for the girly girl. If cupcakes and floral frills are your thing, then this i-Divine is defiantly yours this season! One's thing for sure there will be no need to ever purchase a pink eye shadow again!

How pretty and girly!!

Please excuse the awful writing! I used photo bucket for the first time today hopefully i will get better at it soon lol!

Bad Girl

Move over girls and all hail the new Bad Girl i-Divine! Sleek Make-Up say this is the toughest i-Divine around, and its said to be a new take on 90's grunge. Sleek Make-Up say this palette is perfect to achieve the looks of bag girls such as Rhianna and Taylor Mommsen. The 12 mineral eye shadow palette is jammed packed with deeps blues, intense blacks and smoldering greys- all highly pigmented to perfect the look of Glam Grunge!

What Sleek Make-Up Say:

Sleek Make-Up's Bad Girl i-Divine is strictly for the rebellious kind. With fierce attitude, she is not afraid to take risks and break boundaries, choose this palette if you can handle it!

Once again sorry about the editing, this one is slightly better so i think i am getting there :)

If i had to pick my favourite i would have to say Bad Girl. Good Girl is gorgeous but i don't tend to wear a lot of pinks on my eyes so I'm going to experiment with the colours as blushes as there are some amazing colours. Bad Girl is much more me for the winter and having the mix of greys,blacks, blues and even purples is such a huge bonus for one small palette. Perfect for the party season!

The new i-Divine palettes launch on the 27th of October but if Good Girl is your favourite then be quite with picking one up as it is LIMITED EDITION where as Bad Girl is going to be permanent!

Palettes cost £5.99 each and are available from Superdrug and also HERE on Sleek Make-Up's website.

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

Yep that's right! I am back to the normal Sophie..a brunette, and it feels good.

I did totally love my blonde locks for the summer and the colour was perfect but there were a few things i hated and couldn't cope with..

1. Roots, ahhh the most stress full things ever!!!

2. Having no shine what so ever.

3. Dry hair and brittle ends-awful

I am naturally very very dark anyway so i have always been lucky to have naturally shiny hair so for me to have no shine i hated!

So i have gone from this

To this

I feel much more my 'normal self''

Please note pictures were taken with my web cam which tends to make all pictures look a little orange so i am not that orange in real life, i promise.

Although i loved the blonde i can see i totally suit brunette much much more

Plus i have shine back in my hair..a HUGE relief

It also means i have much more of a wide colour range with my make-up. I found it a right struggle to wear some of my fav lippies with much lighter hair. I am happy to now be able to wear M.A.C Pink Nouveau :) Which is what i am sporting in the pictures above.

I missed out a bit last Christmas as i only started using Snow Fairy when i picked up a bottle in the Lush Christmas sale..it didn't last me long and then Lush stopped selling it! So i am super happy that it has been released back onto the shelves this month as it means we have a good few months to stock up.

The Snow Fairy scent became so popular last year that this year Lush have released a few other products with the same scent. One of the new products is a Snow Fairy Lip Tint. It smells exactly the same as the shower gel and is the most amazing bright pink.

Pretty bright hey?! On the lips it is a lot sheerer so is really wearable for everyday use. I love it for a bright hint of colour on the lips and smells/tastes amazing :)

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

I am back today with a Guest Blogger for you all! I know its been a while since i last posted a Guest Blogger but i just wanted to let you all know i am still doing them so if you would like to be a part of it, leave me a comment or email me :)

So today we have my best friend Becky ♥

Becky is really new to blogging as she only started in September. Becky went traveling for 14 months,came home in June for 3 months then returned back to Australia to be with her Aussie man :) Becky is finding it tough relocating when you don't know many people so she is hoping her blog will keep her busy for now.

Becky also has a huge passion for fitness, so her blog will not only be about beauty but her tips on fitness!

As well as that Becky also trained in Beauty Therapy so will be sharing her tips and tricks from her Beautician course!

Becky recently did her first OOTD so i am going to share it will you all today.

Becky's Post

♥ Hello Girlies♥

Just thought i would share with you all my OOTD. I was heading into the city to meet with my friend for a coffee (Starbucks Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream) Yummy!!! Was a really rainy dull day here in Sydney today so needed to wrap up as best i could with what i had at hand as most of my current wardrobe consists of summer clothes.

If you would like to know where Becky got this outfit from then head over to her blog...HERE

Monday, 11 October 2010

Only just recently have i got more into Lush products! I know, how ridiculously long has it taken for me to jump on this bandwagon. Today i am going to share with you the new Lush Halloween products for 2010 and then in a separate post review the products. The Lush Christmas collection is already out and i have a few products from the collection so keep an eye out for those.

This year’s limited edition Halloween products were inspired by the Mexican celebration for Day of the Dead. It is a Mexican tradition that honors and respects the dead. Lush were so inspired by the idea that this time of year could be filled with love instead of scary creatures, that their products are full of Day of the Dead imagery and ingredients.

Lady Catrina

What Lush say:

Catrinas are based on etchings by Jose Guadalupe Posada. The name means 'elegant' and they are skeletal figures with beautifully extravagant hats, which is why our Lady Catrina soap is made in the shape of a spooky, colourful hat.

£2.95 for 100g

Calacas

What Lush say:

Calacas are figures of skulls and skeletons adorned with marigolds or foliage. Our tribute to the dead is a trio of skull-shaped jellies that will breathe life into you in a morning.

£2.95 each

Calavera

What Lush say:

Calavera literally means 'skull' in Spanish. Our Calavera Bath Ballistic is filled with Mexican marigold petals, zesty lime essential oil and an array of brilliant colours to transform your bath into a celebration and summoning of the dead

There is two gorgeous girls which i was lucky enough to meet at the recent Eyeko event who i wanted to introduce you all to! I have been reading their blogs for a long time now and i love them so just wanted to share them with you in case you weren't aware of their blogs!

First up is Claire ♥

It was ridiculously embarrassing that i was soooooo overly excited to meet Claire at the Eyeko event. Claire was unaware of this haha but i did let her know! I have loved Claire's blog for a long time now. I love it as its a more fashion based blog not your usual make up blog. Claire keeps so up to date with all the new trends and shares a passion of mine...handbags. You really need to check out Claire's bag collection..its amazing! Claire is absolutely stunning and really is the nicest girl. So easy to chat to and get along with. I was so super jealous of Claire's gorgeous silky brown hair i am considering going back brunette :) Claire is also a huge fan of accessorise so much so she has her own range of jewellery which she hand makes! There are some beautiful pieces which you should all definitely check out. Claire is in the process of setting up her own website for her range but its not 100% finish yet but i will be sure to update this post with her website when its live! Claire also makes videos on YouTube which i love watching. She is a true natural on the camera!

Now i have been following Louise's blog for a really long time however Louise i believe was completely un aware that i was so she couldn't believe it when i told her i had been for ages at the Eyeko event. Louise is seriously the most lovely girl..instantly from having a little chin wag about Louise's wedding i knew she was super lovely and would make anyone smile. She has the type of personality to pick anyone up if they were feeling down! Although i have only met Louise once, from following her blog,watching her amazing YouTube videos and meeting her at the Eyeko event i know she is such a genuine person :) I love Louise's blog 1 because of the way she writes and 2 the great post's! I also loved keeping up to date with her wedding and now bubba post's as Louise is expecting eeeeee very exciting stuff! I totally didn't know Louise made YouTube videos so i sat with a cuppa the other day catching up with them all and they a truly fabulous!